٠٠:٠١:٤٤German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to press following the 'Normandy Four' meeting at Borsig-Villa Reiherwerder in Berlin, Wednesday.
Discussing the talks, Steinmeier said: "We reached progress in the security area but the political process remains difficult without a breakthrough today. A mixed progress, but I'm happy that Moscow and Kiev were ready to work closer together today with the goal to keep the ceasefire."
Commenting further on the ceasefire, Germany's top diplomat added: "If we succeed with these measures, with the ceasefire that has somewhat held since the Orthodox Easter holidays, if we could provide a sustainable ceasefire that would be a big step forward."
Steinmeier concluded by expressing his thanks to his colleagues from Russia and Ukraine. "I want to therefore express my thanks both to the colleagues from Moscow, as well as the colleagues from Kiev, who were here already yesterday for the preliminary talks, that in this area of security progress has been made."
The group, dubbed the 'Normandy Four,' was created in 2014 to secure a peaceful settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The key issues for discussion were the further implementation of the Minsk peace agreement and the current situation in south-eastern Ukraine, with special focus on issues such as security and prisoner exchange. Aside from Steinmeier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin also attended Wednesday's talks.
Germany: 'Normandy Four' achieved progress on security issues - Steinmeier
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to press following the 'Normandy Four' meeting at Borsig-Villa Reiherwerder in Berlin, Wednesday.
Discussing the talks, Steinmeier said: "We reached progress in the security area but the political process remains difficult without a breakthrough today. A mixed progress, but I'm happy that Moscow and Kiev were ready to work closer together today with the goal to keep the ceasefire."
Commenting further on the ceasefire, Germany's top diplomat added: "If we succeed with these measures, with the ceasefire that has somewhat held since the Orthodox Easter holidays, if we could provide a sustainable ceasefire that would be a big step forward."
Steinmeier concluded by expressing his thanks to his colleagues from Russia and Ukraine. "I want to therefore express my thanks both to the colleagues from Moscow, as well as the colleagues from Kiev, who were here already yesterday for the preliminary talks, that in this area of security progress has been made."
The group, dubbed the 'Normandy Four,' was created in 2014 to secure a peaceful settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The key issues for discussion were the further implementation of the Minsk peace agreement and the current situation in south-eastern Ukraine, with special focus on issues such as security and prisoner exchange. Aside from Steinmeier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin also attended Wednesday's talks.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to press following the 'Normandy Four' meeting at Borsig-Villa Reiherwerder in Berlin, Wednesday.
Discussing the talks, Steinmeier said: "We reached progress in the security area but the political process remains difficult without a breakthrough today. A mixed progress, but I'm happy that Moscow and Kiev were ready to work closer together today with the goal to keep the ceasefire."
Commenting further on the ceasefire, Germany's top diplomat added: "If we succeed with these measures, with the ceasefire that has somewhat held since the Orthodox Easter holidays, if we could provide a sustainable ceasefire that would be a big step forward."
Steinmeier concluded by expressing his thanks to his colleagues from Russia and Ukraine. "I want to therefore express my thanks both to the colleagues from Moscow, as well as the colleagues from Kiev, who were here already yesterday for the preliminary talks, that in this area of security progress has been made."
The group, dubbed the 'Normandy Four,' was created in 2014 to secure a peaceful settlement to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The key issues for discussion were the further implementation of the Minsk peace agreement and the current situation in south-eastern Ukraine, with special focus on issues such as security and prisoner exchange. Aside from Steinmeier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin also attended Wednesday's talks.